


Everlasting Darkness

by Akilice (Aki_lice)



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Charoix, F/F, Mostly a Croix centric fic, a bit of self harm, subtle Dianakko, trigger warning: suicide attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-05-23 20:31:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14940875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aki_lice/pseuds/Akilice
Summary: She felt a hand gently covering her eyes, shielding her from the view, from the darkness that threatened to take over her mind. She couldn't say a thing, or even move. She just stood still, being protected from him again. "Don't look." She heard her voice, soft and gentle, devoid of hate and darkness, saving her from her own demons.





	1. Croix Meridies

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I've been posting all of my stuff on fanfiction.net, but thought I'd try to post one of my fics here! This chapter serves as a prologue to the story, and I hope you enjoy it!

_His red eyes stared through her soul, sending fear into it, and paralyzing her. Her hands held the shiny rod close to her chest._

_She couldn't do a thing, as if he was manipulating her, messing with her mind._

" _Don't." She looked at Croix, who pleaded her not to give him the staff._

_She couldn't stop herself from listening to his order, to his cold and emotionless voice. She took a step towards him, which made the other witch try to stop her, however, he passed through her, taking hold of her body._

" **_Perhaps this will make you hand it to me. You wouldn't want anything to happen to your friend, would you?"_ ** _He said, using her voice, and her face, and it was the last straw for Chariot._

_However, as he was about to take it, Croix grasped her own hand, stopping it from taking the shiny rod, but she struggled as two souls tried to control one body._

_The darkness tried to leave, but she did not let him, instead, she trapped him inside her body, causing a battle for control._

_She clutched her head, pained, and Chariot was too frozen to do anything, too torn over what she should do._

_Croix looked at her, for a brief moment, before taking her wand and casting a spell on her, sending her faraway._

Ursula woke up with a gasp. She put a hand on her chest, and took deep breaths, hoping to calm her raging heart. She fell asleep on her desk while reading a book of ancient spells. She looked at the last paper she read, the words _star crossed_ written on it. She closed the book and walked upstairs, before stopping to look at the moon.

She remembered Professor Woodward's words. If she told her to help Akko awaken the seven words, then that only meant one thing.

The darkness was still around.

She needed to tell Akko the truth, but as luck would have it, a strike happened, and she was sent away.

Little did she know that the moment she left, _she_ arrived.

**-Everlasting Darkness Chapter 1: Croix Meridies-**

No one actually said it, but everyone at Luna Nova, from students to teachers, knew to some extent that things would not be the same.

First, there was the strike, and without the fairies, the school cannot function. Magic was already dying, and sharing the sorcerer's stone put both sides in a difficult situation.

However, no one knew that the appearance of a purple haired witch, flying on a Roomba and surrounded by enchanted machines, would bring a storm that no witch was ready for.

She took her glasses off, and looked at them with a confident smile, and green eyes that held too many secrets. She stood tall and confident, and she looked unlike any witch they've ever seen.

In few seconds, she left various impressions on the students, some of them were interested in her, but it took Diana Cavendish one look at the woman to know that she would bring nothing but trouble.

There was this strange air around her, it was menacing. Everything about her rubbed her the wrong way from her attire to her pose, her voice, and the way she tainted magic with her so called technology…

There was one thing that truly worried the prodigy, and it was that she could've sworn she saw her eyes darken for a second, replaced by blood red ones that sent shivers down her spine, but that feeling left as quickly as it came.

The woman stood behind headmistress Holbrooke as she introduced her.

"Everyone, allow me to introduce to you the new teacher of modern magic, Professor Croix." The headmistress announced, making the students whisper among themselves.

"Please come to my class if I picked your interest." Croix started, with the same smile that wouldn't leave her face. "We will contemplate the future of magic there!"

She announced, and her words sent a feeling of uneasiness into Diana, but it also sent excitement into Akko, who stared at the woman as if she was some sort of goddess.

"Professor Croix was so cool!" Akko exclaimed later, as she sat in her dorm with her roommates. The strike was still going, so they had to rely on a candle's light.

Akko never really cared about the history of magic. Why think of the past when you should focus on the future? She never really understood the concept. She wanted to become like Chariot, but did she really need to learn about stuff that happened ages ago to achieve her dream?

That was exactly the reason why she was excited about modern magic. She was fascinated by the idea of using magic with technology without being held back by the sorcerer's stone.

"I wonder what we can learn in modern magic class!" She wondered.

"I heard from some of the girls who took it that they use tablets Professor Croix developed." Lotte stated, making the brunette beam at the idea.

She couldn't wait to attend her class.

Meanwhile, the source of her excitement, stood in Holbrooke's office, between Professors Lukic-who touched the tablet with her wand as if it would start moving on its own- and Finneran who did not bother to hide her obvious dislike of the new teacher.

"This is a precursor of the impending apocalypse!" Lukic exclaimed, making the inventor smile.

"It most certainly is not." Croix said as she felt the irony behind the words.

It most certainly was…

"You are forbidden to use items such as those during lessons." Finneran said, crossing her arms. "Also, I heard that you placed some sort of new-fangled machinery for personal use inside the new moon tower."

"You'll be cursed!" The oldest witch exclaimed, a bit _too_ excited.

"I believe I won't." Croix answered with a laugh threatening to escape her lips. She has already been cursed, so why should that bother her?

She excused herself after getting a lecture from Finneran, and headed to the tower, where she left all of her research tools… well, they were more than mere tools, from a security system, to multiple screens and computers, but she couldn't let anyone know about this.

She pulled a red cube from her pocket, and it took the form of one of the faeries. The machine stood before her, waiting for her orders.

" **_What do you plan on doing?_ ** " His voice rang inside her head, and it caused her to smile in satisfaction.

"You'll see." She answered as the machine left. She then looked at one of her screens, showing the pictures of the students, including the new owner of the shiny rod. She frowned and shut off the screen.

She had to make this quick.

"You're awfully quiet these days…" She commented, feeling suspicious. Everything has been going too well, and judging from her experience, that only meant that something would happen when she would least expect it.

" **_I have plans of my own too._ ** "

She looked at one of her black screens, and saw her reflection, staring back at her, with a wicked smile and red crimson eyes.

**-ED-**

Diana blinked, as she tried to focus on the book she was reading, but she couldn't study anymore. For a moment, breathing was a hard task, and she was sure that she saw red demonic eyes staring at her, but now that she was back in reality, she wasn't sure if she was imagining things or if what she saw was real.

She took a deep breath and closed her book. The lessons were a mess due to the strike, so she tried to study at lunch, but there was no use. She decided that going out for some fresh air would help her, and perhaps she could try to convince the faeries to stop their strike and return to work.

With that in mind, she walked outside, only to be met with the sight of the professors standing before the faeries in shock. Apparently, they did not succeed in convincing them.

"That is quiet enough!" Diana ordered as she stood before them. She had enough of this mess. What good would it bring them if they cause Luna Nova's fall?

"I ask of you, what will you do if we lose Luna Nova?" Her words seemed to cause them to hesitate, so she started walking towards them, proceeding with her plan. "Allowing the witches to use the sorcerer's stone is necessary for the academy's continued existence. Do you not all wish to continue to work here? Without your jobs you will have no place left to live. Are you willing to accept that? Now, call off this strike immediately!"

The faeries look at her, then glanced at each other, a sign that meant that her words were affecting them, and it brought a smile to her face.

That was until _someone_ interfered.

"The bourgeoisie is blind to the concerns of the working class!"

Diana's proud expression was replaced by a surprised one when she saw Akko standing in front of them, destroying the progress she just made.

"She has a huge and luxurious room all to herself. That's right, she's an aristocrat! Aristocrat!" Akko said, making the creatures angrier. "Aristocrat! Aristocrat!" She started calling along with them, and the other witch was taken back with her behavior.

How could she use that against her? That was not even an argument!

The prodigy sighed and calmed herself. This was Akko she was talking to, of course she would do something that would make her at loss…

"To think I had revised my opinion of you after the Samhain Festival. Unfortunately, I seem to have been mistaken." She said, and gasped when she found the brunette's face only few inches away from hers. Her red eyes spoke volumes, but she decided to use her voice to make her point clear.

"You're always looking down on others! You have _no_ idea how hard the people of the lower classes are working!" Akko stated angrily, with a fire in her eyes that could not be put out.

Diana stared at her, silent. She couldn't shake the feeling of hurt and disappointment that took over her. Was this how things would always be between them? Was this how Akko saw her?

No, she knew for a fact that she wasn't the only one. Everyone saw her as the Cavendish girl who had talent pumping in her veins.

Of course they would think that way…

Her hard work and feeling never mattered anyway.

She did not bother to answer her, and instead she walked away without any comebacks. She wouldn't listen to her anyway, so why waste her time?

Not only that, but the girl holding something as powerful as the shiny rod, something that could save magic, was wasting her time like this, and she had no way of telling her about that.

To Akko, she was nothing but a rich girl who never cared about anyone's feelings…

Little did Diana know, that the negativity of her emotions would plant seeds of darkness inside her heart.

Akko felt a bit guilty for the lie she told. She has been to Diana's room once, and she saw all the books she had, and how much work she did, but that did not mean she would let her destroy the faeries' chances at a better life.

As much as Akko loved using magic, she did not want her happiness to cause the misfortune of others, and that was why she joined the negotiations.

"We demand a ten-percent increase of our energy allotment! In addition we request a separate energy allowance for health and living requirements-"

"We refuse!" Professor Finneran cut her before she could finish.

"At least think about it!" Akko begged but the teacher wouldn't listen.

"Realistically speaking, it is impossible!" The professor declined, while the headmistress shook her head, saddened.

"Unfortunately, energy isn't something you can create." Holbrooke added, much to the young witch's dismay.

Why couldn't they see how much they needed the energy to live?

Was being allowed to live such a hard request to accept?

"What if we could?"

A voice interrupted Akko's train of thoughts, and she looked to see the new teacher standing there with her machines behind her. Croix smiled at them, confident about whatever she was about to suggest.

Akko watched as the professor explained the sorcery solution something with pure passion and pride, and even though she did not understand half of what she said, she found herself drawn to the solution she was suggesting.

However, Professor Finneran had to refuse her help, spouting nonsense about the traditions of magic.

"Tradition this, tradition that…" Akko muttered as she sat in the hallway, leaning against the wall.

Why were they so afraid of trying something new? Why couldn't they think of the future instead of being stuck to the past? Why not take the chance when they could?

She never understood their obsession with traditions.

They even hated Chariot for breaking them and using her magic to spread happiness.

Chariot's magic touched her heart, because she dared to move past those traditions…

"You can't blame them. It takes courage to accept the new and unfamiliar." She turned to see Croix walking towards her, with arms crossed, and the usual smile on her face.

Akko stared at her teacher, before remembering what she forgot to say when she first met her. She stood up and bowed to the purple haired woman. "I forgot to thank you for saving me when you got here! I am Kagari Atsuko! Modern magic is amazing! It left me speechless!"

Croix stared at her for a moment, and her smile became faker the more she looked at the girl, so she decided to make her exit. "Then, Miss Kagari?"

"Please call me Akko!"

"Come visit me in my next modern magic lesson." Croix told her as she walked away. Her smile turned into a frown the moment the girl couldn't see her face.

Her bright smile and attitude, along with those red eyes, reminded her so much of _her_. It didn't help that the shiny rod chose her too.

She ignored whatever feelings the girl made her remember, and tried to focus on her next move.

If they did not make this easy for her, then that meant moving to the next phase of her plan.

**-ED-**

It did not take long for the school to fall into chaos. Faeries started attacking the students and destroying everything, and without magic, they had no way of fighting back.

Akko, Lotte, and Sucy ran upstairs, hoping to reach the sorcerer's stone as soon as possible.

"We have to release the magic!" Akko announced as her friends followed her.

The three tried to push the magic isolators, but they did not have enough power to do it, and unfortunately, they couldn't get help because when they turned, they found Croix's machine staring at them.

Akko turned to it, hoping she could change the situation. "Hear us out! The teachers accepted our conditions! The strike is over! We won!" She tried to reason with the faerie, but it only stared back at them. She turned to the orange haired girl. "Lotte! Do your thing!"

Lotte looked at the machine, but gasped when she couldn't find any emotions, there was nothing but coldness looking back at her through red emotionless eyes. "This faerie has no emotions… It's as if it's a machine…"

The moment she said that, the machine turned into cubes that took the form of a monster. The monster pushed one of the magic isolators, and Akko along with it, causing her to fall.

"Akko!" Both her friends shouted as they helplessly watched her fall to her doom.

But, as luck would have it, Croix came just in time to save the day.

Or at least, that's what she wanted them to think.

One of her brooms caught Akko before she could hit the floor. She put on her glasses and used her tablet to cast one of her spells, commanding the brooms to take whatever negative emotions that possessed the faeries. The whole school was astonished by her heroic act and her power.

She landed before Akko, taking her glasses away. "Are you okay?" She asked with a smile, and the brunette looked at her as if she was an angel.

"Yes!" Akko said loudly, making the teacher's smile widen.

She was quickly surrounded by the students, and showered with compliments. She laughed softly, greeting them.

The events of the day caused the school to install the SSS, making Luna Nova under her control.

She felt satisfied with the success of her plan. No one would know that she started the strike, and controlled it through her machine. No one would suspect her, and soon, everything else will go her way.

Her next step was to gain Akko's trust, so she can use her.

" **_You can't keep this up. You have too much hate and anger inside you._ ** " He said, and the moment she closed her eyes, she was met with those familiar eyes, but they no longer sent fear inside her, she grew used to them. " **_I know that you will lose control, sooner than expected._ ** "

She just smiled, and opened her eyes to stare at the school that became hers.

Everything was going according to plan, but Croix didn’t realize that there was one problem left… or a person.

Ursula finally made it back to Luna Nova after her long trip.

"Headmistress! I'm sorry for the delay!' Ursula apologized, panting as she carried the magic she collected. She soon found out that her efforts have been in vain. The problem has been solved in her absence.

She did not mind, because now she had all the time to talk with Akko, and tell her about the words, but the moment she found her, she saw a familiar figure standing beside her.

Ursula's heart sank when green eyes noticed her presence and turned to look at her. Green and red eyes stared at each other, in shock and hurt.

Croix recognized her immediately, despite the blue long hair and the glasses. Of course she did, she knew her better than herself. The new teacher felt her mask breaking, as her face showed, even if it was for a second, feelings of anger and betrayal made their way to her heart, aimed towards the one who once called herself Chariot.

Ursula felt as if she was ten years younger, scared and confused as red demonic eyes stared through hers, digging inside her soul.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:** Reunion.

Akko beamed at the sight of her favorite teacher, she was so excited to tell her about what happened that she did not notice how uncomfortable she looked.

"Professor Ursula! You're back!" Akko ran towards her with a bright smile, and the blue haired teacher had to force one back. "You won't believe what happened! Oh, and have you met Professor Croix? She saved the day!" The brunette said, excitedly, unaware of the tension around her.

"I see. How about you wait for me outside while I introduce myself to Professor Croix?" Ursula asked with a smile, and the brunette nodded and ran outside, leaving the once friends alone in the hallway.

"To think that you have been hiding here for ten years." Croix started, and the blue haired witch stared at her, unsure of what to say or do.

After ten long years, they met again. Ursula felt an ache in her heart, at the sight of her old friend.

She tried to shake off the guilt, but she couldn't because her eyes were glued on the green ones staring back at her, as if they were blaming her.

"Why did you disappear, Chariot?" Croix asked, and Ursula winced at the mention of her name, especially with the accusing tone that witch was using. "When did you become such a coward? Hiding yourself like this…"

Croix scowled, as she looked at the blue long hair that replaced the short red one she used to love.

Those red eyes, weren't even the same.

They lost the light she grew to love.

It made her so furious.

"Is it…really you, Croix?" The blue haired witch asked, hesitant, and scared of what the answer could be.

" _ **Who else could it be?**_ " The witch's voice sounded different, and Ursula gasped when she found herself standing in the dark, and before her, stood a younger version of Croix, with long hair and glasses covering her green eyes. " _ **Why did you let him take me, Chariot? I thought we were friends.**_ "

"I…"

" _ **I thought you cared about me.**_ "

It all came crushing down, the guilt, the blame, the fear.

She never meant for this to happen. She never meant for darkness to take Croix away. She couldn't do anything and she hated herself for it.

She felt those green eyes blaming her, burning her heart and soul, and she couldn't look away. She was frozen, just like all those years ago.

Suddenly, she felt a hand gently covering her eyes, shielding her from the view, from the darkness that threatened to take over her mind. She couldn't say a word, or even move. She just stood still, being protected from him again.

"Don't look."

She heard her voice, soft and gentle, devoid of hate and darkness, shielding her from her own demons. She could feel her breath on her ear as she spoke, and found herself a captive once again.

She waited for the worst, but nothing happened. The hand removed itself from her eyes, and she found herself in the hallway again, but this time, she was alone.

She bent down to pick up her glasses that seemed to have fallen when the vision began, and wore them, hiding her scared eyes.

Her heart told her that it was the Croix she once knew, but her mind warned her after the hallucination. Whether it was her, or that monster, Ursula needed to do something.

But how when the fear still controlled her?

Croix's fists clenched as she walked away, she stopped and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She looked at the palm of her hand, with a melancholic expression, but she quickly out on another fake smile when she saw the young prodigy walking.

"Oh, if it isn't miss Cavendish!" She greeted, making the distracted witch stop in her track and turn to her.

"Hello, Professor Croix." Diana greeted, but she did not seem happy to see her, it's not like it was apparent on her face, the girl was too good at hiding her emotions, but the purple haired woman was too to hiding her own, that she could know when people are faking it.

"Since you're near to my classroom, how about you attend one of my lessons? You might find modern magic interesting." Croix suggested, despite knowing what the answer would be.

"My apologizes, but I do not have any interest in modern magic."

"You think that it's destroying the traditions and that it brings shame to magic, is that it?" Croix asked, and crossed her arms, but she kept the same smile. "You probably think that I'm ruining the school."

"Professor Croix, please don't put words into my mouth." Diana answered, stoic as ever. She knew that the woman was trying to make her slip, but she wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. "As a member of a family that gave birth to generations of witches, I highly respect the tradition ways of magic. That is all."

"I guess you have a point." Croix laughed. "But don't you think that magic should improve, especially in an age where people mock witches? Shouldn't we make it more practical with the use of technology?"

"While I agree on the need of improving things, I do not think that making the learning process of magic emotionless is the way." The prodigy argued calmly, making the woman's smile widen.

_She's tough._

They both thought as they tried to break through the other's arguments. Croix found this rather entertaining. She heard great things about the Cavendish princess.

"I am sure you have heard of Shiny Chariot." Croix started, and she finally noticed a small, and barely visible crack in the young witch's mask. "No one tried to mix emotion and magic like her. She used her magic to perform, and I remember that at the time people started to love it again. I heard that Miss Kagari came here because she loved her shows, and anyone can tell that kid is really passionate about magic."

Diana felt a bit hurt at the mention of Akko, but she did not show it.

"What I'm trying to say is that Shiny Chariot tried something  _new_  with magic, and it brought passionate people like Miss Kagari to our school." The inventor uncrossed her arms as she added. "To improve, we shouldn't be afraid of mixing it up a little. You never know what could happen."

"Professor Croix!" Akko came running towards them, excited-for once- about her next class, but she stopped when she saw Diana standing next to the teacher. "Diana? Are you going to attend this class too?" She asked, but then her eyes widened when they met blue ones, filled with hurt that only appeared when they looked at her, but that hurt quickly disappeared as Diana excused herself and walked away.

Akko stared at her, unsure of what to do.

Did she really hurt Diana with her words back then?

Meanwhile, Croix couldn't decide whether it was better to stay close to Diana, or keep her distance, because she knew that the girl was perfect for  _him_  to use.

He can see through people like her, like Chariot, and use their worst and most traumatizing memories against them.

She was running out of time.

Now that Chariot was here, she knew that it would be harder for her to keep control.

"Miss Kagari?"

"Yes?" Akko turned to her. Her excitement came back too quickly.

Croix could've sworn she saw Chariot taking the kid's place, smiling at her brightly, and she felt something crawling up her back, reaching her neck, trying to choke her.

"I heard that you're a fan of Shiny Chariot. I happen to know her."


End file.
